Sprewell Reinstated

(before 2003)

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A man who choked someone got his job back. He played basketball for a professional team. The league told him he could not play after he hit and choked his coach. If he can stop from getting angry, the player can play again.

The league made the decision to let him play again. He said that the team and the league can not punish the player for the same act. Such a thing has never happened before.

Some people are not happy the player got his job back. The owner of the team was shocked. A league leader said that in other jobs a person would get fired for choking his boss. A person on the street said basketball players are paid to be role models. They should behave themselves.

Some people want him to come back. A player on the team said he would not mind if the player helps the team win. Another player said the player got some money back but others will not respect him. A person on the street thought that the coach was to blame.

The player had to stop playing for 68 days. It was the longest in basketball history. The team will have to pay him the rest of his salary. He will lose more than six and a half million dollars.

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